Back where we started, almost
Five years ago, the Middle East was composed largely of a handful of barbaric Arab semi-states, plus Iran (not Arab), Afghanistan (neither Arab nor even resembling a state), Kurdistan (ooops, wishful thinking), Turkey, and Israel. Israel survived in part because the others were too busy murdering each other to unite behind their shared hatred of the Jewish state.
So, since 9/11, the U.S. has bombed Afghanistan into dust, decided to take out Iraq for good measure, and is busy trying to install new governments in both piles of rubble. Lo! and behold, the Afghans remain in tribal chaos, the Iraqis are busy killing each other, Iran has decided to resume building nukes, and, for good measure, the Palestinians have elected people who hate us even more than the previous thugs did.
Are we back to where we started? Or is it perhaps even worse? Is Israel any safer? Are we? Why do any Americans still think Bush and his gang of draft-dodging bullies have made us safer or stronger? And what of the rest of the world? Our friends must be in shock at how hollow our power has been revealed to be. We know our enemies are drooling with excitement. We are measurably poorer than we would have been if we had simply let time take care of Saddam. And the much of the world, and Iraq most of all, have lost trust that we could deliver.
So, now, a deal to sell the management of 6 of our largest ports, to people who harboured some of the 9/11 terrorists. The clown in the White House claims he knew nothing of the deal (until he heard about it from the press). If that's true, it was his perfect out. Yet, instead, he will go to the wall to defend it?!?!?!?! Am I the only person completely baffled?
In fact, it is coming out that the man who approved it, Treas. Secy. John Snow, has a web of ties to folks with a huge vested interest in buttering up the Emir of the United Arab Emirates, who will now run a major part of our nation's ports. This writer actually believes that the risks of the deal have been exaggerated by its critics, but is there any level of gratuitous risk that is acceptable?
Why there is no call from security hawks to remove Bush from the White House, is truly a mystery.
So, since 9/11, the U.S. has bombed Afghanistan into dust, decided to take out Iraq for good measure, and is busy trying to install new governments in both piles of rubble. Lo! and behold, the Afghans remain in tribal chaos, the Iraqis are busy killing each other, Iran has decided to resume building nukes, and, for good measure, the Palestinians have elected people who hate us even more than the previous thugs did.
Are we back to where we started? Or is it perhaps even worse? Is Israel any safer? Are we? Why do any Americans still think Bush and his gang of draft-dodging bullies have made us safer or stronger? And what of the rest of the world? Our friends must be in shock at how hollow our power has been revealed to be. We know our enemies are drooling with excitement. We are measurably poorer than we would have been if we had simply let time take care of Saddam. And the much of the world, and Iraq most of all, have lost trust that we could deliver.
So, now, a deal to sell the management of 6 of our largest ports, to people who harboured some of the 9/11 terrorists. The clown in the White House claims he knew nothing of the deal (until he heard about it from the press). If that's true, it was his perfect out. Yet, instead, he will go to the wall to defend it?!?!?!?! Am I the only person completely baffled?
In fact, it is coming out that the man who approved it, Treas. Secy. John Snow, has a web of ties to folks with a huge vested interest in buttering up the Emir of the United Arab Emirates, who will now run a major part of our nation's ports. This writer actually believes that the risks of the deal have been exaggerated by its critics, but is there any level of gratuitous risk that is acceptable?
Why there is no call from security hawks to remove Bush from the White House, is truly a mystery.
posted by Carlos Zapato at 10:22 PM
2 Comments:
Apparently, it's actually 21 ports. Oopsie!
Including at least 2 MILITARY ports.
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